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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. wax — to grow
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — there
  5. object — an aim
  6. firm — decided
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. board — a committee
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. object — a thing
  12. key — the most important part
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. object — to protest
  15. firm — steady
  16. key — in music
  17. key — for a lock
  18. lean — thin
  19. firm — a company
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. present — a gift
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. lean — to bend
  24. board — to get on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com